Friday, March 17, 2006

Joyanna Zacher, and Nathan Block

Earth Liberation Front News

Eugene, Oregon, U.S. - Joyanna Lynn Zacher, and Nathan Block have been indicted on conspiracy charges as part of the FBI's Operation Backfire case. They are now accused of being part of a an Earth Liberation Front (ELF) cell called "the family." They were arrested last month at their home in Olympia, Washington, in connection with the May 2001 ELF claimed arson at the Jefferson Poplar farm in Clatskanie, Oregon. There are now a total of thirteen people who are indicted as co-conspirators in the case which involves a total of 17 separate ELF actions. They are facing life in prison if convicted on all counts.

Eugene, Oregon, U.S. - Former North American Earth Liberation Front Press Office spokesperson, Craig Rosebraugh, was scheduled to appear before a federal grand jury this week, but his appearance has been rescheduled for August. Rosebraugh served as a press officer from 1997 to early September 2001. This is his eighth grand jury subpoena during the last nine years. Rosebraugh has consistently resisted testify before grand juries. During a 2002 Senate hearing he refused to answer more than 50 questions by invoking his Fifth Amendment right. Some of the questions he did answer often only received one word responses.

Salem, Oregon, U.S. - Police cadets are now going door to door handing out information about the ELF that says they are a "ecoterrorist organization." Whether or not the ELF are terrorists is debatable. The FBI has never been able to classify an ELF action as violent in accordance with their own national Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) system. The police say that they are taking this action in response to last weeks incident of anti-sprawl vandalism. Whatever their motive this type of information campaign in the Eugene area is not likely have any positive affects on the cases of the 13 individuals who are scheduled to go to trial next October on ELF related charges.